A Salford educator whose mission is to give all SEND students the tools they need to learn has been nominated for a prestigious award.
Soha Tarek, the SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) lead at online-school Eton Academy, Salford, was one of four people shortlisted for the category of Support Practitioner of the Year in the ‘nasen’ Awards out of 440 overall nominees across the awards.
She said: “It means recognition, it means appreciation, it means that someone is telling you: you are on the right way.
“We push our students towards success because we believe that everyone should be empowered in a secure learning environment and they should receive a high quality education regardless of their backgrounds and their new needs.”
As a specialist in special educational needs and disabilities and autism, Soha says it is important that no student is left behind in an educational setting.
Soha joined Eton Academy in late 2023 and moved to the UK in June 2024 when they passed their Ofsted inspection in September.
She and her colleagues worked hard to build it from scratch.
“We have the passion and the belief in what we’ve been doing, we were able in less than a couple of years to get the accreditation from the DfE (Department of Education),” she said.
Having been previously based in Istanbul, Turkey, she emphasised the amazing opportunities that came with moving to Salford.
She described the city as a “very good area”, detailing how it has provided so many services and activities for the locals and encouraged her to get involved in the community, which made her feel welcome.
Soha said: “When I moved to the UK, I felt like I had found the ‘land of dreams’ because I felt welcomed by everyone. They didn’t see at all that I was a foreigner.
“As an immigrant there aren’t any barriers to succeed in the UK since you have a clear vision, you have a passion of what you’re doing and believing in it.
“You are trying and striving as much as possible to develop your skills and search for what the community needs.”
Soha believes in the importance of providing support for SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) students.
She said that the number of SEND students is increasing, making it even more crucial for there to be more qualified professionals in this field to continue serving them.
She said: “We believe that each and every student is unique and different, learns differently and have their own competencies. So we just design for them customized plans that suits their needs and their capabilities.”
Soha not only spends time working with the children, but also their parents, to ensure they see the improvements in their child’s confidence and abilities in education.
She said: “One of the biggest things ever is when you see it in the parents’ eyes, when they’re telling you ‘thank you for what you’re doing for our children, our children are improving and developing and they can proceed further with with their lives.'”
The ‘nasen’ Awards set out to recognise settings and individuals who put in the hard work to create a more inclusive future, specifically to those living with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
Although Soha did not win the award, her efforts towards the cause continue to be recognised and celebrated across Salford.
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